Body and fender straightening tool



May 20, 1952 J. M. JOHNSON El'AL BODY AND FENDER STRAIGHTENING 'roor.

Filed Feb. 27, 1950 JOHN M. JOHNSON BERNARD P. LEAF 3nventor orneg Patented May 20, 1952 BODY AND FENDER STRAIGHTENING TOOL John M. Johnson and Bernard P. Leaf, Lindsborg, Kans.

Application February 27, 1950, Serial No. 146,428

7 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a power tool primarily for removing dents from automobile fenders, and for aiding in restoring other bent and damaged parts of a car body to their original shapes by the application of either an outward pushing or pulling force at the points of deformation. The present invention is an improvement over the tool described in our Patent No. 2,442,604 issued to us jointly on June 1, 1948.

A prime object of the invention is to provide a tool which can be positioned in closely restricted spaces beneath or inside a car body, yet which is capable of applying a powerful outwardly directed body straightening force from such position, and of applying that force in practically any desired outward direction.

Another object is to provide a too1 which can be positioned near but outwardly spaced from an inwardly dented portion of a car body, and is capable of applying a powerful outwardly directed force to pull the dented body portion out toward its original position.

Other objects are to provide a tool of this type which is self-contained, which does not need to be connected to an air pressure line or to an electric power outlet, and which can be positioned and operated by one man.

,Still another object is to provide a tool of this I type which is so constructed that the operator can manually control and apply the desired straightening force without changing the direction of that force during its application, or if desired, can change the direction of applied force during its application.

The invention, together with other objects attending its production, will be more clearly understood when the following description is read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: 7

Fig. 1 is a side view of a tool embodying the invention, and illustrates one manner of positioning and anchoring the tool for straightening a dented car fender; 7

Fig. 2 is a side view of a modified form of the invention, and illustrates another manner of positioning and using the tool Fig. 3, is a fragmentary sideview illustrating still another way of, using the invention;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken'along the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a lateral vertical sectional view'taken along theline 5- 5 0f Fig; 1 and Fig. 6 is. a fragmentary perspective viewof the toolshowing certain details in its construction.

Referring particularly to the Fig. 1 embodiment,

it will be seen that the tool generally comprises a base member II), a compression brace II, an upright force applying arm I2, and a mechanical advantage unit I3, illustrated in the form of a screw jack. While the member ID is called a base member, this is an expedient only, and is not meant to infer that the tool must necessarily rest on this base member during use.

The base member I0 has a heavy metal ring or hook I4 welded to one of its ends for receiving and anchoring one end of a chain or cable I5,the purpose of which will be later described. Near each of its ends the base I0 is fitted with annular thick walled non-skid pads 24, preferably of rubber.

The arm I2 is made up of two telescoping thick walled tubes I6 and I1 (see particularly Fig. 5). The lower end of the outer tube I! is closed by a circular plate I8, welded in position. To the inner surface of this plate is welded one end of a rod I 9 which is irregular in cross section, as shown in Fig. 4, and which is centered in the tube.

The lower end of the tube I6 carries a plate 20, welded in position, which has a central aperture which complementally and slidably receives'the rod I9. The described structure thus prevents relative rotation of the two tubes I6 and I'I,.but permits free relative longitudinal movement for overall length variation of this arm unit I 2.

A heavy metal ring 2| is fitted rather snugly on the tube I6 before the two tubes are assembled. With the upper end of the tube I'I cut off at an oblique angle, the high side first contacts the ring and causes it to bind the tube I6, preventing further inward movement of that tube; The ring thus serves as a variable stop for maintaining the two tubes in desired relative positions.

Near its lower end the tube I1 is provided with spaced parallel ears 22 (Fig. 1), welded thereon, which have aligned perforations and which straddle one end of the base I0. A pivotal connection between the arm I2 and base I0 is completed by a pin 23, passing through the base ID. A tension spring 25 having its ends anchored to lugs 26 and 21 welded respectively on the tube I1 and on the base I0, serves to urge the tube to pivot toward the base, the object of which will be hereinafter explained.

One end of the compression brace I I is pivotal- 1y connected by pin 28 and spaced ears 29 to base Ill. The other end of this brace rigidly carries the jacking unit I3.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 4, the jacking unit includes spaced rigid parallel straps 30 and 3| welded at one end to the end of brace I I,

adapted to selectively receive a bolt 39 for pivotally connecting the upright arm 12 to a jack screw 40. This is accomplished by means of a clevis M which is rigidly secured on the inner,

end or the jack screw.

The opposite end of the jack screw projects loosely through the central perforationin the plate 34, and is fitted with a nut ,42. This nut is provided with a handle "43,and a rigidly'a'ttached bearing housing 44. A thrust bearinglifif.

is press fitted into the housing 44 and bears direedy-against the plate-34 to absorb thrustwhen the jack unitis actuated by rotation of the nut 42. Thebaringhousing itself is received by and rotates #within a dust protector or shield in the forr n o f-a-noutstanding annular collar is welded i to the exterior of the plate34.

7 'Referring again tothe arm I2 (Figs. 1, 5, and 6), the upper end of the tube 16 is provided with a reinforcing collar l'l, the upper edge of which has-a plurality of-spaced notches ifi (Fig. 6). It willfbe understood that the upper end of this tube lfif is' adapted to receive and hold various types of body-contacting inserts, designated .as units 'bythe numerals'da to 53 inclusive in Figs. 1', 2, means Grespe'ctively. As seen more clearly in Fig, 5, each oithese inserts comprises a shoe :54 ef-the'desired configuration, a tubular-shank 5545f the. proper size to telescope snugly into the tube lh and a--collar"56 rigidly secured on the upper end of the-tubular shank. The shoe 54, in each case is nonero'tatably secured to the shank by any suitable means, as by press fit or welding,

or it may e-primacy attached, as clearly shown in Fig.6. p 'E'achicollar' 56 has a depending tongue 5'! which may"beseate'dcomplementallyin any one of the notches 4 8 to prevent'the entire insert from r0- tating wi'threlation to the arm I2 during the application of a straightening force to a part of the car' body.

Referring "now 7 to f the modified embodiment shown in'Fi'g.Zf'it'Willbe seen that the base member '10 'has been completely eliminated and a difierenttype ofp'ivot supporting means substituted. In this case aheavy rigid tube 55' has one of its endshonnected rigidly to the compression member H, as by welding at 65, and is placed in aidivergent'position with relation to the member Ii. A'web'of heavy metal plate 6'! is' thencutto' shapeandwelded along its edges 68'and 69'to the compression member I l and tube 65,re spective1y.The outer end of the tube 85 is thus used to support the pivot pin 23. The ring or hook Wis welded to the end of the compression member I l,'as shown, instead of to the base member, asin'the previously described embodiment. All other. parts are identical to those "described'in the Fig. 1 embodiment. The chiefadvantage-of the Fig. 2 embodiment lies in itemduced weight and cost. Any other suitable means could be used equallywell to support the pivot point 23 in the desired position.

Operation 4 dent to be removed, he chooses an insert of the desired shape and places it in the upper end of arm I2. The arm is then adjusted to the proper length and the shoe 54 is placed in contact with the dent. One end of a chain or cable (5 is then achored to the hook l4 and the other end anchored to a fixed part of the vehicle chassis, such as a frame member 60 or 6|. It should be ,noted that it is not necessary. for the arm 12 to be in a --vertical position. The lower end of this arm may rest on the floor at any oblique angle, or may even occupy a position parallel tothe floor if necessary to place the shoe 54 in 'a"pos"ition"to exertthe straightening force in a desired-direction. The position of the arm 12 may even be changed by the operator while the straightening force is being applied.

Whenthe tool" has been properly positioned, as described, it is only necessary for the operator to turn the nut 42 on the screw 40 to apply-the desired force against the dent. The jack forces: the'arm 12 to pivot outward -toward the jack handle untilthe denthas been pushed outward to the desired position.

In Fig. 2 the tool is shown-positionedioa-pull outward-on a rod 62 One end of this rod is hooked into the upper end of the insert-50- wh-i1e the other end of the rod has been passed through the automobile grille work and suitably anchored, as by a large washer 63-and nut 64. r

7 Having described the invention-with--suiiicient clarity to enable those-familiar with the-art to construct and use it, we claim:

.l. A unitary portable tool adapted to-rbe-connected at a first point to a fixed part 'of a-vehicle and to apply a fender or body straightening force at a second point spaced-irom-said -first point, comprising:- an elongated rigidlcompres- 'sion member; and indenture contacting force applying :arm located intermediate the ends-of said member and disposed crosswise with relation thereto; pivot supporting means" connected to and extendingoutwardly at anacuteangle to said compressiohlmember to apoint adjacent one end of said arm, thepivot supporting" means,

thecompre'ssion member and the armTlying-in substantially the" same plane; apivtsiibstantially normal to said plane'conne'cting said-one end of "the arm to said pivot supporting means; mechanical advantage means carried by the compression member and operably connected to said arm'at a point spaced from said pivotfand means for anchoring thetool to a fixed partof a vehicle to prevent longitudinal"movementf-of the compression member in a directionopposfite that in which the armis forcedto pivot'bysaid mechanical advantage means 1 during application of a straightening force to a body'-or"fender indenture; I Y

2. The invention described in claim 1 iii-which the saidmechanical" advantage means "comprises a manually operable, jack. v I

3. The invention described in claim" l inwhi'ch the said arm is variable in length. "'4. The.invention describedinclaim 1 infwhich the said force applying arm comprises two rigid tubes telescoped one into the otherfandicooperating slidably' interfitting'means carried by the tubes for preventing their relativerotati'oniregardless of their relative longitudinalfp'os'itions.

5. The invention described-in claim l iri'which that end of the arm opposite its 'pivot point is providedwith anropen' socket; a rigidIwor'kcontacting insert for complemental seating} in said socket and 'interfitting means carried Tb'y the insert and by the insert receiving socket for preventing relative rotational movement of the two.

6. A unitary portable tool adapted to be connected at a first point to a fixed part of a vehicle and to apply a fender or body straightening force at a second point spaced from said first point, comprising: an elongated rigid compression member; structure forming a longitudinally extending open guideway near one end of said member; a body or fender contacting force applying arm threaded through and movable in said guideway, the ends of said arm projecting outwardly therefrom on opposite sides of said compression member; means connected to the compression member for pivotally mounting one end of said arm on a transverse pivot which is fixed with relation to the compression member; mechanical advantage means mounted on the outer end of the guideway structure and operably connected to said arm at a point spaced from said transverse pivot, and adapted to force said arm to pivot; and means for anchoring the tool to a fixed part of a vehicle to prevent longitudinal movement of the compression member in a direction opposed to the forced pivotal movement of the arm.

7. A unitary portable tool adapted to be connected at a first point to a fixed part of a vehicle and to apply a fender or body straightening force at a second point spaced from said first point, comprising: an elongated rigid base member; an elongated rigid compression member, the two members being positioned in the same plane;

means connecting one end of one of said memhere to the other member with the members arranged in an acute angle relationship; a transversely disposed body or fender contacting force applying arm; a lateral pivot connecting one end of said arm to said base member at a point spaced longitudinally from the point of connection of the base member to the compression member; mechanical advantage means carried by the compression member and operably connected to said arm at a point spaced from its pivot, and adapted to force said arm to move about its pivot point; and means for anchoring the tool to a fixed part of a vehicle toprevent longitudinal movement of both the compression and base members in a direction opposed to the forced pivotal movement of the arm during its application of force to an indenture to be straightened.

JOHN M. JOHNSON. BERNARD P. LEAF.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

ULIITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,676,263 Hawkins June 10, 192i; 2,139,062 Adams Dec. 6, 1938 2,208,221 McCullough July 16, 1940 2,442,604 Johnson et a1 June 1, 1948 

